Adjustable venting control for air valves



July 25, 1939 c. w. ABERCROM'BIE 2,167,321

. ADJUSTABLE vmmne comm, FOR AIR nulls Filed June 18, 19:57

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INVENTOR CHARL 55 W. A BERCROMBIE 7 ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 25, 1939 UNITED STATES ADJUSTABLE VENT ING CONTROL FOR AIRVALVES Charles W. Abercrombie, Nichols, Conn., assignor to BridgeportBrass Company, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Bridgeport,

Application June s, 1937, Serial No. 148,853

9 Claims.

This invention relates to air valves, and more particularly toimprovements in venting control for air valves for radiators or thelike. In order to heat-radiators, uniformly in a heating system and tohave them reach uniform temperature at the same time, particularly wherethese radiators are located at various distances from the central sourceof heat, it is necessary to have an adjustable means for allowing theair lo'to escape from the radiators when forced out by the advancingsteam or hot vapors from the boiler.

By this adjustable means the venting of air from the radiator whichtends to heat first, is choked off, or reduced to a minimum, and theradiator which tends to heat last is vented wide open, while venting ofintermediate radiators is correspondingly controlled, thus causing allthe radiators to heat up simultaneously.

The venting control apparatus according to my invention takes the formof an adjustable device adapted to be mounted on a radiator valve of anywell known construction or type and it is a particular object of thepresent invention to provide a device which is capable of being set toallow for any venting control within the range of the radiator valve towhich it is applied.

A further object is to provide such constructions which cannot bedisassembled while making adjustments.

Still another object is to provide means for securely locking the devicein any adjusted position.

, Yet another object is to provide suitable indi- 35 eating means whichwill indicate all the relative positions of adjustment of the ventingcontrol. 4 A further object is to provide an adjustable venting devicehaving a minimum number of parts Without impairment of function and withresultant reduction in manufacturing costs.

With these and other objects in view, my invention comprises the novelconstruction, combination and arrangement of elements to be hereinaftermore fully described, shown and defined 45 in the appended claims.

' In the drawing in which similar reference characters denotecorresponding parts:--

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a radiator valve provided with anadjustable venting device, ac-

. o. cording to my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section of my adjustable ventingdevice;

. Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device shown in Figure 2; and 1suitable means for limiting rotation of this mem-;

Figure 4 is a section taken ,along line I--4 of 1 Figure 2 viewed in thedirection of the arrows. Referring to the drawing, I0 denotes an airvalve casing for radiators or the like, and the internal 'air valveconstruction thereof may be of any well known type, for example, thatproviding for automatic cut off to prevent escape of steam or water fromthe radiator. The casing has an air outlet nipple II at its upper endover which the adjustable venting meansconstituting the subject-matterof my invention is m adapted to be mounted. I The adjustable ventingmeans comprises a lower cap body or base member I3 having an internallythreaded hollow 'wide bottom portion I4, which is adapted to be threadedon the outlets nipple II of the casing I0, and an upper shank portion I5of reduced diameter which is externally threaded as at I5. The upper orshank portion I5 is provided with a central air passage I6 whose upperedge I1 serves as a valve seat.v The upper edge I! may be punched off atone or more points to form recesses or notches I8 for a purposeto behereinafter specified. Cooperating with the base member I3, is an upperhollow cap member I9 internally threaded as at I9, which is adapted tothread on the upper shank portion I5. This cap member is provided withan inwardly projecting valve, tooth-like member or tenon 20 whichpreferably is tapered and which serves as a valve plug member. Thisvalve or tenon is adapted to be moved toward and away from said valveseat I! by rotation of the cap member I9 on the shank portion I5, toallow for any venting control of air from said valve I0 through the saidpassage I6 within the range of" the radiator valve to which my ventingmeans is applied. The recesses or notches I8 prevent complete cut offwhen the tapered valve or tenon rests upon the seat II. The same may bemade, for example, by lightly striking the edge of valve seat with apunch or the like to produce one or more fine recesses at this seatingedge.

To prevent the cap member I9 from being removed completely while makingadjustments,

her are provided. This means, in the modification shown, comprises astop pin 2| suitably positioned in the shank I5 after the cap member hasbeen positioned thereon and projecting into a slot 23 provided in themember I9. This slot. serves the additional function of permitting airto escape from the cap member I9 above the valveseat II. In thismodification the pin member 2| is preferably so admeasured in lengththat when the cap member I9 is in closed position respect to the valveset. V

of course, may be employed. The arrow A and with the valve or tenonresting on the valve seat, the upper end of the said pin member will lieflush with the top IQ of the said cap member I9.

'I'o lock the cap member l9 in any desired position of rotation asuitable locking member or nut 24 is provided. This nut is threaded onthe shank l5 below the cap member and by screwing the nut 24 tightlyagainst the bottom edge of the cap member l9, after any adjustment ofthe cap has been made, the latter is locked against accidental rotation.

Suitable indicator means are provided which ,7

will indicate the open and closed positions of the valve with respect toits seat and also intermediate adjustment positions. In thismodification these means comprise graduations or markings 25 on the topIQ of the cap member, which in conjunction with the stop pin 2| servetoindicate the relative position of the valve or tenon with Otherindicating means,

the word Open or the like indicate the manner of operation of theventing control. The circumferential walls of both the cap member [9 andthe lock nut 24 may be knurled or' -the like to facilitate manipulation.

' 'Operation of my adjustable venting means is ment with the cap memberHi to loosen the latter for adjustment. Turning the cap memberto theright, for example, causes the valve or tenon 20 and the end of the slot23 in the cap.

to approach the valve seat, thus reducing this venting passage, andturning to the left causes the valve or tenon to recede from thevalveseat, increasing the venting passage. The cap member is limited inits closing movement by'contact' of the tapered valve or tenon with itsseat and the opening movement is limited by the stop pin 2| fter turningthe cap'member 19 to theproper passage opening for venting, the locknut;2 4 is turned to bring it into tight contact with the parting fromthe spirit of my invention as defined in. the appended claims.

What I claim is:

' 1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a basemember having an air passage and a valve seat at its upper end, a capmember rotatably associated with said base 'member and having a limitedopening therein-and a valvethereon adapted to cooperate with said valveseat for adjustable restriction of air venting through said passage, a 1fixed member-positioned in said base member and projectinginto-said lim.

associated with said base member for locking said cap member in anyadjusted position, said l ocki-ng member being-mounted below-said capmember whereby the former may not be removed after said device has beenassembled.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a basemember having an internally-threaded hollow portion, anexternallythreaded portion above said hollow portion, and an air passagein said second named portion provided with a valve seat at its upperend, a cap member rotatably borne on said externally threaded portionand having a valve adapted to cooperate with said valve seat foradjustable restriction of air Venting through said passage, said capmember having a slot for the escape of air above said Valve seat, a stoppin positioned in said base member and projecting into said slot torestrict rotation of said cap member and to prevent removal of thelatter after assembly of said device, and. a locking member threadedlyborne on said base member below said cap member for lockingthe latterinany adjusted position of rotation.

3. In a device of the character described, the

combination of a base member having anair passage and a valve seat atthe upper end thereof, a cap member rotatably associated with said basemember and having a valve thereon adapted to be moved toward and awayfrom said valve seat for adjustable restriction of air venting throughsaid passage, said cap member also having a limited opening in its top,a locking member mounted on said base member below said cap member forlocking said cap member in any adjusted position and a fixed memberpositioned on said base member and projecting into said limited openingfor indicating the relative position of said valve with respect to saidvalve seat, for simultaneously limiting rotation of said cap member, andfor simultaneously preventing removal of said cap member after saiddevice has been assembled.

4. In an air valve, the combination of a casing enclosing the valvehaving an air outlet, and an adjustable venting means for restrictingthe ,escape of air from said casing, said means-includinga basememberhaving an air passageadapted to be mounted over said outlet, arotatable member having an opening of limited size and a valve movabletoward and away from said passage to vary the venting therethrough, afixed member positioned in said base member and projecting into saidopening in said rotatable member for indicating the relative position ofsaid valve with respect to said valve seat and for simultaneously be'mounted over said outlet, a vrotatabe cap member having an opening anda tapered toothlike membermounted on said base member, said tooth-likemember being .movabletoward .and away from said passage tovarytheventingtherethrough upon rotation of said cap member, meanspositioned on saidbase member projecting into said opening forindicatingthe relative position of said tooth-like memberwithrespect .to-lsaidvalve seat, for simultaneously limiting the .rota-.

v.tion. of said. cap member andsimultaneouslypreventing removal thereofafter said venting means hasbeen assembled, and means mountedmn saidbase member for locking saidrotatablemember win any adjusted positionof.rotation..

6. In an air valve, the combination of a casing enclosing the valve andhaving an air outlet, and adjustable venting means for restricting theescape of air from said casing, said means including a base memberhaving an air passage with a valve seat at its upper end and adapted tobe mounted over said outlet, a rotatable cap member having an inwardlyprojecting tapered valve movable toward and away from said valve seat byrotation of said cap, a stop member for limiting rotation of said capmember, said cap member having an arcuate slot concentrically disposedabout the center of said cap member into which said stop memberprojects, said stop member being so admeasured as to lie flush with thetop of said cap member when said tapered valve rests on said valve seat,locking means threadedly mounted on said base member to lock said capmember in any v adjusted position of rotation, and means to indicate therelative position of said tapered valve with respect to said valve seat.

'7. In an air valve, the combination of a casing enclosing the valvehaving an air outlet, and adjustable venting means for restricting theescape of air from said casing, said venting means including a basemember having an air passage with a valve seat at its upper end adaptedto be mounted over said outlet, a rotatable cap member threadedlymounted on said base member and having a curved slotand aninwardly-projecting tapered valve movable toward and away from saidvalve seat upon rotation of said cap, a stop pin mounted in said basemember and projecting into and movable in said slot for limitingrotation of said cap member, a lock nut threadedly mounted on said basefor locking said cap member in any adjusted position of rotation, meansto indicate the relative position of said tapered valve with respect tosaid valve seat, and means to prevent complete cut off of ventingthrough said air passage.

8. In an air valve, the combination of a casin enclosing the valve andhaving an air outlet, and adjustable venting means for restricting theescape of air from said casing, said means including a base memberhaving an air passage with a valve seat at its upper end and adapted tobe mounted over said outlet, a rotatable cap member having an inwardlyprojecting valve movable toward and away from said valve seat byrotation of said cap, a stop member positioned on said base member forlimiting rotation of said cap member, said cap member having a curvedslot into which said stop member projects, and means on said cap memberadjacent said opening serving with said stop member to indicate therelative position of said valve with respect to said valve seat.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of a basemember having a hollow portion, an externally threaded portion abovesaid hollow portion, and an air passage in said second named portionprovided with a valve seat at its upper end, a cap member rotatablyborne on said externally threaded portion and having a vlave adapted toco-operate with said valve seat for adjustable restriction of airventing through said passage, said cap member having an air escapepassageway, a stop member positioned in said base member and projectinginto said air escape passageway to restrict rotation of said cap memberand to prevent removal of the latter after assembly of said device, anda locking member threadedly borne on said base member below said capmember for locking the latter in any adjusted position of rotation.

CHARLES W. ABERCROMBIE.

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